Football, seashells, golf – the sky is the limit for themed Christmas stockings!

"'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;"

-Clement Clark Moore (1823)

Do you have a fanatical football fan in the family? Or someone who lives for golf? How about a seashell collector? Christmas is a perfect time to shower these family members or friends with gifts tucked away in a themed Christmas stocking.

Hanging stockings at Christmas is a centuries old tradition with several different versions on how it all began.

Long ago, in England, children would hang their own stockings from the fireplace mantle on Christmas Eve "in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there." The stockings "hung by the chimney" evolved from personal hosiery to the larger stockings fabricated for stuffing with all kinds of good things.

A fairly new twist on the Christmas stocking idea is the themed stocking, that is, filling the stocking with items that pertain to a certain theme. When themed stockings come to mind, thoughts often go to children because themes abound – Thomas the Train, Barbie, My Little Pony, Ninja Turtles... However, there are many themes that can be used for adults as well.

How do you choose a theme? Think of the person who will be the recipient of the themed stocking and choose a theme from their favorite interest. Do they follow a professional sports team? Are they bird-watchers? Do they like to bake? Do they play a sport? Do they enjoy back-packing or hiking? Are they collectors?

Once the theme is chosen, begin to think about what they

might need or what would be fun to have. Consider items that will enhance their experience – books for shell collectors, maps for hikers, a notebook and small binoculars for bird-watchers. Websites, including eBay, are good sources for unique items.

The stocking itself should reflect the chosen theme. If you are able to wield a sewing needle you might want to make the stocking from themed fabric. Special themed material can be found, not only at fabric stores, but at some hobby stores as well. However, if you are like me and haven’t sewn a stitch since the seventh grade, generic Christmas stockings with themed fabric glued to the top cuff will work just fine.

The stocking theme I chose was the San Diego Chargers. I purchased a generic Christmas stocking and some themed fabric from Hobby Lobby in Temecula, then glued the fabric to the top cuff with a hot glue gun. Then, I collected various items for the stocking. LED Christmas ornaments and face stickers were found at Major Market in Fallbrook. A bumper sticker and a plastic football necklace were discovered at the Charger Store at Qualcomm Stadium. A unique lightning bolt decal was found at a yard sale.

It might take some time to find the right items for your gift stocking, but the effort is worth it when you see the recipient’s smiling face. Set the scene to surprise a loved one by creating a themed stocking that will delight and fascinate!